Eye-Openers: Penny Ice Creamery as a model of how to run a small business [Video]

On Black Friday, when all the mega-marts make headlines and attract the masses, let’s not forget small businesses. In the above short documentary video, Penny Ice Creamery in Santa Cruz is profiled as a model of how a small business should be run, from farm-fresh ingredients to interacting with the community. [YouTube]

Michelin has released its Spain edition, and there’s big news with the coronation of two new 3-star restaurants: “The newly elevated establishments are Azurmendi, in Larrabetzu; and Quique Dacosta, in Denia. Akelare and Arzak, in San Sebastian, Martin Berasategui, in Lasarte-Oria; Sant Pau, in Sant Pol de Mar (Barcelona); and El Celler de Can Roca, in Girona, hold onto their top rankings.” [SFGate/Bloomberg]

You’ll never believe this, but the Hello Kitty-themed restaurant in Beijing is not so good at making food delicious: “But it’s a disappointment — the chicken is gray and stringy, the cheese solidified, and tepid spaghetti sauce tastes like it’s straight from a can.” [CNN]

In Los Angeles, they have caviar vending machines in their fancy malls: “In addition to $500/oz caviar, they also dispense blinis, mother of pearl spoons, and other caviar essentials.” [Boing Boing]